DIY projects allow you to give an old or damaged item in your home a refreshing appearance, the best part is that once your home improvement project is done the rewarding feeling you experiment makes you feel proud of what you have accomplished. This post is about giving that old dresser you have at home a second chance, today you have the power of taking this old piece of furniture and make it look as eye- catching as you can. What do you need? Well in order to succeed in this task, there are three very important things you need to have: a free afternoon or weekend, the willingness to roll up your sleeves as well as be ready to get your hands a little sawdusty, and of course the following supplies and tools.
Project supplies & tools
- Power sander
- Paintbrush
- Screwdriver
- Sandpaper
- Primer
- Tack cloth
- Paint sprayer
Step #1: clean your dresser, remove doors and fix its hardware
Start by cleaning the surface of your dresser with a rag in order to remove residue on it; you can use a screwdriver to carefully eliminate all of the components. In case there is a wide assortment of hinges and screws, tape them together to keep track of them. If your old dresser’s drawer- pull holes are damaged, repair them with wood filler because it will be better to have a clean slate. Use the wood filler generously, make sure to fill the hole as best as you can; then smooth it over with putty knife. Let it dry overnight and next day in the morning, it will be ready to be sanded.
Step #2: sanding time
Use a sander in order to help you break through the most finished layer of polyurethane, and keep close to you a sheet of sandpaper that get rid into intricated or detailed corners that are not possible to reach with a sander. When you roughening the top layer of your dresser, you are making easier for the primer and paint to adhere. Furthermore, roughening the surface is also a great opportunity to distress sharp edges as well as corners and thus you create an attractive distressed effect.
Step #3: priming and painting your bedroom dresser
In this step, you need to make sure to apply a very thin coat of primer to your piece of furniture, use a brush and a roller to do so. Let it dry, and once it is ready apply a coat of white paint. High- adhesion primer is recommended if your old dresser has a laminate veneer, because this material tends to be harder to paint with results that last in the long term. On the other hand, if your dresser is a piece of solid wood; then traditional primer should perform great at adhering well to the sanded surface.
Take advantage of this process and while the top coat of paint is still wet, remove roller stipple by smoothing over the paint carefully with the brush; this will leave the paint with an interesting brushed- on look, which is an eye- catching effect in most painted piece of furniture.
Step #4: re- sand your piece of bedroom furniture
To distress the finish and also make the painted surface look more naturally weathered, bring your sander back and use it on the surface of your dresser once the paint has dried. Use the sander gently to remove some of the paint and primer, making emphasis on the edges of your piece of furniture; allow the underlaying wood to show through. The effect you will achieve can be both subtle or dramatic; this will depend on how much of the wood you allow to show through the topcoats.
Step #5: stain time!
Apply a stain over the painted surface will allow your dresser to have a distressed, vintage- like finish. There are a wide variety of stain colors, choose the one you want for your dresser and apply one coat of it using a cloth, wipe excess away in straight motions. Once the first coat has dried, add some other additional coats that allow you to achieve a deeper and more striated effect.
Step #6: do not forget about polyurethane
You already have the effect color you wanted in the new version of your dresser, now a finishing coat of polyurethane is needed in order to seal the dried stain and make your new piece of furniture durable and long lasting. And whether you have opted for matte or high- gloss effect, using a foam brush will make application easier as well as even.
Step #7: time to install hardware again
Reinstall door and hardware by using the same hinges and screws to attach your dresser’s doors easily. If you really want to end this project in an amazing way, consider the idea of changing the old knobs with new ones that beautifully match your bedroom dresser’s style.
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